26 replies to this topic

[Rated_RR]

I have a vintage Cox Chaparral 2E Mag NIB.

Can anyone give me an estimate on value?
 
Here are some pics:
 

 

 

 

[Cheater]

Josh,

For an item like this, a pic would be very helpful for someone wishing to address your question, as I think the exact condition of the box would be involved in the valuation.

[shadow]

Go look on eBay sold and you will find a price.

[Rated_RR]

Pics loaded.

[Lone Wolf]

In two words: a lot.

[Rated_RR]

Can you elaborate?

I have listed it on eBay and feel that my starting price is fair.

[Lone Wolf]

Josh, looks like you may have started it and ended it. I think that may have been a wise choice.

The box condition will hold it down a little but boxes can be found. The important part is the contents. If all the bubbles are sealed and the body can be verified as having no damage or mods it would help the value a lot. Also, if the decals are present it should be noted along with their condition.
 
If I had to make a guesstimate I would say somewhere between $1,800 and $2,400 although your mileage may vary. H

ope this helps.

[Rated_RR]

Thank you.

I have a current offer of $2,700. I figured about that price.

[SlotStox#53]

I guess it was a LOT MORE. If the zero feedback bidder is genuine this rare find went for $8,300.
 
As I'm not up on all things slot car regarding the Cox cars with this one in particular, just how rare is this in terms of any numbers? The Iso 2E fetches large sums. Is the mag frame one that rare? Or is it just the fact of it being under the blisters and complete?

[satchmo]

Final value $8,300!!!
 
Bet he's happy he didn't take the $2,700!

[don.siegel]

Paul,
 
In short, it's the holy grail of 1/24 American slots, therefore considered the most desirable slot you can own. Not all that rare, but examples in the box, unassembled, are still very scarce. Prices have gone up and down, and maybe this is an indication that the financial crisis is improving...
 
There seem to be a lot fewer of these than the Iso version, which is rather logical, because the mag 2E was obsolete by the time it came out - the Iso may have been as well, but it was still a lot more modern-looking than this one.
 
The equivalent in Europe is the Scalextric Bugatti, which is generally valued around £3,000 - and is very much the holy grail of collecting here. So much so, in fact, that several "semi-genuine" versions have been released in the meantime, starting in the '80s I think (i.e., with some original parts, factory-approved or not, etc.)
 
I'm a little surprised by the price, given the box condition, but maybe it's also an indication that a MIB 2E hasn't come up in quite awhile.
 
Don

[TSR]

Don is right spot on in his comments.

I am a bit surprised to see a bidder with zero feedback "win" it; that might or not work out, we will see.

[SlotStox#53]

Thanks, Don, for the detailed information on the reasons for being just that rare/valuable. Looks like it's a replica for me.  Real ones are just a little out of the price range!

[gascarnut]

Was the Mag-frame 2E body different to the IFC body?

 

I saw another magframe 2E being offered, but it looked to me like it had the IFC body on it, as the side clips that fit into the slots of the IFC frame were clearly visible.

 

The seller claimed Philippe built the car for him some years back, as I recall.

[TSR]

I (re)built a LOT of these. There are three different and distinct versions, all three coming from the same molds.

 

1) The "mag" kit. Most valuable, because most realistic with scale wheels and tires, full cockpit and detailing. It uses a magnesium sidewinder chassis with the large 36D-size "NASCAR" motor on top of which is an wing-actuating plastic "cam" and a short steel wire. These are not rare as assembled models, most of the ones found assembled have been poorly stuck together and generally need lot of work to "put right". Assembled cars rarely bring over a grand, unless in totally exceptional condition or available as a "loose" kit of parts. As for the other Cox Chaparrals, decals are inaccurate with wrong number graphics.
A mint, sealed kit is worth six to ten time the value of an assembled car or loose kit of parts. it is estimated that less than 50 MIB kits have survived on the planet. Here is an intact kit:

 

 

Here is a (properly) assembled car by Yours Truly:

 

 

 

 

2) The IFC kit. It uses all the body parts of the "mag" kit, except for the wing-actuating arm and cockpit found in the "mag" kit. The chassis is an inline aluminum job with a 16D-size "NASCAR" motor with its own wing-actuating cam and a different wire. The cockpit is a piece of black card on which the simplified driver is glued through a double-sticky piece of tape. The wheels are 5-spoke "American Mags" with black sponge rear tires. Again, a mint, sealed kit can bring 3-4 grand, while an assembled car rarely brings more than a grand. Decals as in #1. The kit is nearly as rare as the "Mag" kit.

This is a "loose" IFC kit (I did not have a good pic on file) showing the box, and an intact sealed body kit inside the box:

 

Both the above use a body made of hard polystyrene that turns yeallow with age and exposure to ozone or light.

3) The IFC RTR model
This uses the same chassis parts as the IFC kit, but the wheels and tires are simple machined aluminum jobs with gray sponge rear tires, and a body made of unbreakable polypropylene that does not turn yellow. The body comes from the same mold as that of #1 and #2, all have the 'catches" for the IFC chassis. It is very common and only brings over a grand if mint in a mint original box. Loose cars are all over the place and USED to bring much more than they do today due to their large number, over a half million were produced! Interestingly this version has the only correct numbers graphics of any and all Cox Chaparral models.

 

Here are pictures of the car in and out of its box:

 

 

 

 

The assembly of cars are some I rescued from junkers to near-perfect through my restoration process (don't ask me, I am retired from slot car construction or repairs).

Last, there is a "hard-plastic" body kit under blister on a card shown above in the IFC kit box.  A mint sealed body kit can easily bring $1,500.00.

[SlotStox#53]

Wow so many models/versions, talk about a real mine field! Thanks for straightening it all out..

[TSR]

I added a bunch of pictures to the post to make sure that you are not confused.

P

[Rated_RR]

Yeah I did not have the proper settings set on my eBay account when I listed it. I was pretty sure that the sale would not be legit when it ended with a buyer from Italy with no feedback. It's all good though. I have another buyer ligned up.

[Jean-Michel Piot]

Just to complete the information given by Philippe... The hard body kit under blister on card could be built to complete/restore either a car with magnesium chassis (it has the cockpit with the seats and corresponding actuator) or an IFC car (the other type of actuator and a part to be placed at the front of the engine being included).

 

The building instructions indicate the 2 ways.

[Jean-Michel Piot]

Hello folks!

 

Yes I know, this is quite a revival for this post, 6 years after...

 

At that time PdL did not have a picture of a complete IFC kit. I got one recently:

 

[don.siegel]

Congratulations Chopeman! Good find. 

 

Thought you already had one of those? 

 

Don 

[Jean-Michel Piot]

Hello Don! Everything fine on your side?

 

 Concernning IFC in box, I only had a Cheetah. But bough at the end of 2019 two other boxes from the IFC series: a Chaparral 2D and this Chaparral 2E. Bough them from our common friend Mark Scott.

 

I also have an empty box of 2E, wishing I had a complete one ... 

[don.siegel]

We're doing fine JM, how about you? Semi-retired, but only semi... 

 

I would guess the Cheetah is the most common of the IFC kit series, but is the 2E the rarest? None of them are easy to find... 

 

Phil had a bunch of Cheetarachas at the last swap meet, but all assembled and not all original parts - still, I treated myself to a metallic green one, in very good shape. 

 

Now I have to go back and reread this thread, so I know where it all started! 

 

Don 

[Jean-Michel Piot]

It started about the value of Cox 2E new in box, with magnesium frame.

 

But the title was wider: about the Cox Chaparral value. We understood that it was about models new in box, because we know that once built the value is generally not hight at all.

 

Generally speaking.

 

Are you still happy with your 2E?

 

Still waiting for your 2A though, I guess ...

 

I'm not retired at all but I'm foreseeing to make a come back in the Vintage slot car world.

[don.siegel]

Yep, the 2E has pride of place in my showcase! (it was beautifully restored by Mr. Piot) I bought it before 2008, so prices were probably higher at the time, especially for assembled models, but maybe for MIB cars too. According to Philippe, the highest price ever attained was a MIB Cox Chappy 2E that went for something like $12,500... it might be worth half of that today. 

 

(Yep, still waiting for the 2A - is it in the restoration line?). And glad to hear you're coming back to vintage slots, will be looking forward to more beautiful work! 

 

Working on a Strombecker Lotus 38 for now... my paintwork still leaves something to be desired! 

 

Don